Over the years I have had my fair share of bologna salad on long car rides and fishing trips. For my mother it was an everyday type occurrence. Grinding your own meats, which has become popular again, was a modern marvel around the beginning of the 1900's. My Gramma's version is a Universal meat grinder #2.

As you can see, it has ground it's fair share of meats (nothing more than bologna I believe). I cleaned it up some, especially the parts that actually come into contact with the meat. These became a common wedding gift of their day, which is why they remain so available today. A simple Ebay search and you will find hundreds of them in relative good shape for less than $20.

Talking with my mother I found that we shared the same excitement for cranking them as children. Odd but I guarantee that it holds true for today's youth as well. I asked if she recalled Gramma ever using it for anything other than bologna salad..."maybe ham salad?", so it didn't see multiple types of uses. At first glance it is just an old meat grinder but to me it is another opportunity to get closer, to understand those that are no longer with us.

The bologna salad recipe below is from my mother, which can't be much different if at all from my gramma's. Like many of the recipes I have tried to learn from her...there isn't one. She has the ability to just throw things together almost from muscle memory while getting a consistent result every time. With that said, below is my attempt at writing it down. You could try to fancy the recipe up by adding some things, or higher quality ingredients...don't. It isn't healthy and isn't very adult, which is why we all love it so. My Gramma was not one to use spices or seasonings, even salt. Between her, my grandfather and 11 children, getting something to please that many mouths was not easy, certainly not affordable.

BOLOGNA SALAD

1 pound chunk bologna (order at deli, not packaged slices)

3-4 heaving spoons of Miracle Whip (do not substitute)

4-5 hard boiled eggs

Tear or cut the bologna chunk into quarter sized pieces and slowly crank through meat grinder (you can probably get a similar result with a processor but I don't recommend it).

Run hard boiled eggs through grinder. Transfer bologna and eggs to bowl if not already, add Miracle Whip and mix.

Set covered in fridge for at least an hour for best results. Makes 6-8 sandwiches.

Editor's Note: Not everyone can handle bologna salad on car trips or boats, use with caution.